SAN DIEGO — Drivers using SR-125 could one day do so for free.
SANDAG voted to move forward with a study looking at eliminating tolls on the South Bay thoroughfare, which is the only toll road in San Diego County.
Supporters say allowing people to use it for free will reduce congestion elsewhere and improve equity in the region.
"I think it’s a great idea," said Chris Fenton, who lives adjacent to the 125.
Fenton said he and his neighbors rarely use the freeway because they don't want to pay a toll.
"We go that way, take the back route through the neighborhood and save the toll because why pay a toll to go two miles?" he said.
Drivers can spend up to $4.50 depending on how they pay and how far they travel.
At Friday's SANDAG meeting, the board voted to proceed with a study that will produce a detailed timeline and cost assessment associated with dropping tolls along the 125.
In a statement, SANDAG Chair and County Supervisor Nora Vargas said:
"State Route 125 represents a clear inequity in our transportation system. Unlike other regions, South County residents are left without a free alternative, making the transportation system unfair and burdensome for residents. That’s why we took action today to expedite the process and provide a fair and accessible transportation option for all South County residents.”
Chula Vista Mayor John McCann supports the move, saying it’s something he’s advocated for years.
"Chula Vista is a working-class city. I grew up here. And the idea that we're the only city having a toll road is not the best thing. We want to make sure that we have a freeway just like every other city," said McCann.
The potential change won’t happen overnight, and it’s not cheap.
The approved study will cost $600,000 and take a year to complete.
After that, another $2 million may be needed to pay for an environmental impact report.
Then, the road would have to be evaluated for repairs and upgrades.
Supervisor Joel Anderson, who sits on the SANDAG board expressed concern saying that money could be used to address SR-67, the only escape route for hundreds of thousands of east county residents during wildfires.
"You know I have grave concerns about spending $600,000 on an equity analysis when we're not spending any money to look at the economic cost of lives being lost because we failed to build a road that's adequate," said Anderson.
At this point, it's unclear when we could see tolls dropped.
SANDAG acquired the 10-mile expressway through a lease with Caltrans in 2011 and still needs revenue to pay off that debt.
The longer SANDAG waits to eliminate the toll, the more revenue they can collect.
Mayor McCann hopes the 125 will be free within the next four years.
"We have already refinanced the bonds. And we had set and got SANDAG approval a couple years ago to make sure that the road was paid off in 2028,” said McCann.
WATCH RELATED: Internal review reveals major issues with SANDAG's SR-125 toll operating system (March 29, 2024)